In this chapter, students will be able to understand: Sociolinguistics, language and society, language and speakers, sapir-whorf hypothesis, language reflects society, society changes language, important terms in sociolinguistics. | Language and Society Dr. Ansa Hameed Today’s Lecture Sociolinguistics Language and Society Language and Speakers Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis Language reflects Society Society changes Language Important Terms in Sociolinguistics Sociolinguistics Sociolinguistics - the study of the relationships between a language system (langue) and speaking (parole) in a social and cultural context Study of the structure and use of language as it relates to its social setting Language and Society Language has a social function: it helps us to establish and maintain relationships. Convey information about the speaker. Language and Speakers Users of the same language in a sense all speak differently. The kind of language each of them chooses to use is in part determined by his social background. Language, in its turn, reveals information about its speaker To some extent, language, especially the structure of its lexicon, reflects the physical environments of a society Language in its Social & Cultural Settings Does language influence the perception of reality and cultural behavior? Does language reflect reality in a culture? Or, is it both? LINGUISTIC RELATIVISM and DETERMINISM Edward Sapir/Benjamin Lee Whorf – the “Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis” language & culture intrinsically linked "language is a guide to social reality. it powerfully conditions all our thinking about social problems and processes." Language and Thought Sapir-Whorf hypothesis Language predisposes people to see the world in a certain way guiding behavior Language reflects reality Rich vocabulary reflects a cultural focus Language determines thought Whereas English, for example, has only one word for snow ( or two if we include sleet), Eskimo has several. The reasons for this are obvious. It is essential for Eskimos to be able to distinguish efficiently between different types of snow. English, of course, is quite able to make the same distinctions: fine snow, dry snow, soft snow, and so on, but in Eskimos this sort of . | Language and Society Dr. Ansa Hameed Today’s Lecture Sociolinguistics Language and Society Language and Speakers Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis Language reflects Society Society changes Language Important Terms in Sociolinguistics Sociolinguistics Sociolinguistics - the study of the relationships between a language system (langue) and speaking (parole) in a social and cultural context Study of the structure and use of language as it relates to its social setting Language and Society Language has a social function: it helps us to establish and maintain relationships. Convey information about the speaker. Language and Speakers Users of the same language in a sense all speak differently. The kind of language each of them chooses to use is in part determined by his social background. Language, in its turn, reveals information about its speaker To some extent, language, especially the structure of its lexicon, reflects the physical environments of a society Language in its Social & Cultural .
